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Flyt Aerospace FlytCycle Hoverboard (defunct)

Flyt Aerospace FlytCycle 16 one passenger eVTOL flying defunct prototype hoverboard

 

FlytCycle Hoverboard (defunct)
Flyt Aerospace
Cupertino, California, USA
www.flytaerospace.com

Flyt Aerospace was founded in June 2013 in Cupertino, California, USA by Ansel Misfeldt. In ninth grade, Misfeldt dreamed he could fly to school each morning so he could sleep in longer in the mornings. He studied at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California, USA) obtaining a business degree in 2010 while taking courses in mechanical engineering and in material science at the same time. He also studied some aerospace engineering on his own time while at the university. All the while, he continued his dream of creating a small one person flying machine and had made hundreds of drawings and sketches of aircraft up to 2013. The company is currently seeking investors. (Image credits: Ansel Misfeldt)

Misfeldt quit his job in early 2013, started his own aerospace company and has focused on building his own personal flying eVTOL aircraft and small drones since then. Misfeldt reveals that creating a personal flying machine is a very difficult and a complex problem. He has designed, manufactured and flown at least nine different prototypes. Two of his early prototypes were vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) multicopter aircraft powered by gasoline engines using mechanical gears, shafts and pulleys to transfer the power to the propellers. The remainder of his prototypes are electric VTOL (or eVTOL) multicopter aircraft made with the ultimate goal of creating a personal aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM).

Flyt Aerospace is now in the business of selling a small eVTOL drone called the Defender X4E with a maximum payload of 5 lb (2.27 kg) with over one hour endurance that are sold to government entities and the military. The Defender X4E has been designed to allow it to have many options so the drone can be adapted to the customer's requirements. Recently, Misfledt has partnered with the Land Rotor, based in Florida, USA and is creating passenger eVTOL aircraft for Land Rotor, for advanced air mobility.

FlytCycle Hoverboard one passenger eVTOL defunct prototype multicopter hoverboard
The FlytCycle Hoverboard is a one passenger eVTOL defunct prototype hoverboard multicopter aircraft. The aircraft is piloted by a person and was not made for remote or autonomous piloting. It is recommended that the pilot wears a pilot's helmet when flying this aircraft and that the prototype be tethered to the ground for all test flights. There is no cockpit and the pilot stands in secured shoes that are bolted to the top of the substructure of the aircraft.

The aircraft was flown by using a remote drone controller held in the pilot's hands. The multicopter has eight propellers, eight electric motors and is powered by battery packs. The hoverboard has an open fuselage made from 4130 steel. The aircraft has four fixed landing struts.

The purpose for creating the hoverboard prototype was to understand the physics of the multicopter platform and decide if it made sense to continue with the project and build a pre-production prototype. There were about 20 test flights. The maximum flight time for the hoverboard was about 6-8 minutes. All test flights were made with the multicopter tethered to the ground so the inventor wouldn't harm himself.

The aircraft was not actively stabilized and about 85% of the time, the hoverboard worked fine. However, if the multicopter started to move unexpectedly in a direction the inventor didn't want it to travel, it was very difficult to restabilize the hoverboard to a safe hover. After the 20 test flights took place, it was concluded to abandon the hoverboard project.

Current Flyt Aerospace design and manufacturing capabilities
Flyt Aerospace is now in the business of selling a small eVTOL drone called the Defender X4E with a maximum payload of 5 lb (2.27 kg) with over one hour endurance that are sold to government entities and the military. The Defender X4E has been designed to allow it to have many options so the drone can be adapted to the customer's requirements. Recently, Misfledt has partnered with the Land Rotor, based in Florida, USA and is creating passenger eVTOL aircraft for Land Rotor, for advanced air mobility.

Hoverboard close-up view with secured shoes

Hoverboard close-up view with secured shoes

Hoverboard front view

Hoverboard front view

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: eVTOL one passenger multicopter hoverboard
  • Piloting: 1 pilot
  • Cruise speed: While there is a hypothetical cruise speed for the multicopter it was never flown at the actual cruise speed because this is a prototype and was only flown close to the ground for testing purposes. The aircraft was never intended to be flown at what would be considered its cruise speed.
  • Flight time: 6-8 minutes
  • Propellers: 8 propellers (no shielding around the propellers)
  • Electric motors: 8 electric motors
  • Power source: Batteries
  • Fuselage: 4130 steel
  • Cockpit: Open cockpit, the pilot stands in secured shoes that are bolted to the top of the substructure
  • Landing gear: 4 fixed landing struts
  • Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft.

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